Ore smelting and refining apparatus.



EL IIYNK.

ORE SM1-:HHM:- Mm REFINING APPARATUS.

APITMA'L'IUTT FILED JAN. 5, 1910.

Patented May 1, 1913.

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E. PINK. om; Smmlm @ND MIPLNING APPARATUS APPLIUATN' VILHD JAN. 5, 1910.LOLWQ Mw. www l si nsrafrnn'r onirica.

. EDWARD FINK, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR' TO PINK SMEL'IERS COM-PANY, Oli CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F SOUTHDAKOTA.

ORE SMELTING AND REFINING PPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

AppIicaton filed January 5, 1910. Serial No. 536,453.

boing had to the accompanying drawing,

forming a part thereof.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements upon apparatusof the class and for the general purposes of that shown and described inmv application Se rial No. 423,797 filed March 28, 1908.

The main objects of the improvements constituting the present inventionare to provide for a continuous feed of ore into the apparatus as wellas continuous preheating and smelting operations, particularly `for thetreatment of ores containing an excess or largeV percentage of sulfur,and generally to improve the construction and operation of apparatus ofthis class.

It consists in the construction, arrange ment and combination of partsas hereinafter particularly described and then defined in the appendedclaims.

ln the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts inthe sev eral figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on thefline l 1, lfig. 2, ofapparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation and avertical cross section of t-he apparatus on the line E. 2, Fig. 1; Fig.3 is an end elevation of the smeltng' barrel as seen from the leftrelative to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the adjustable cam foroperating the valves which control the supply of air to the twyers, andFig. 5 is any enlarged view in longitudinal section of a suitable formof burner With which the apparatus may be provided when liquid fuel suchas oil is used.

The apparatus comprises a rotary roasting or heating barrel c, and arotary smelting barrel b, which may be tf cylindrical forni and mountedone above the other as shown. VThese barrels may be formed of boilerplate or heavy sheet meta lined with fire brick, clay or suitablerefractory mate rial `to protect the metal shells n' casings.

'air sup )ly or burner pipe.

Patented May 13, 1913.

lhey are each mounted upon supporting wheels or rollers f' so as to becapable of rotation around their axes, the wheels or rollers beingpreferably flanged or grooved and the barrels provided with circularrails (l fitting between the flanges or into the grooves of said wheelsor rollers. (,)ne orv more oi the wheels or rollers associated with eachbarrel is provided with a pulley e or other means for rotating thebarrel.

The barrel is provided at one end with an outwardly flanged centralopening which is connected by a flue f with the lower end of the barrela, the latter being set at an inclination, as shown, to cause the orefed into its upper open end to flow or travel gradu; ally toward itslower -end when the barrel is rotated.

The upper end of the barrel a communi- Cates with a chininey'or escapeflue g, and around the central opening in its lower end, with which theflue f communicates, is provided with a circular series of openings Itfor the continuous discharge of ore on the under side and the admissionof air, if desired, on the upper side. These openings may, if desirable,be closed or partially closed above and at the sides of the flue Ore isfed into the barrel a. from a hoppefr 'i having a spout passing throughthe chimney or escape flue f/ into the upper end of said barrel, and thefeed is regulated by a valve The ore is discharged from said barrel a.through the openings h. below the flue 7' into a hopper /r which isconnected at the bottom by a spout or pipe Z with the feed tube or pipem which passes downwardly through the flue f into the central opening inthe adjacent end of the sineltin barrel l). The spout o r pipe Z isprovided with a. valve n which controls the supply of ore `from thehopper t: to the barrel Z1. The tube or pipe fm. may serve also as afuel and l` or this purpose it is divided lengthwise by a partition asshown in Fig. 2, one side or passage being used for feeding ore and theother for fuel and air. W hen dry powdered fuel is used it is`introduced into the smelting barrel b through one side or passage ofthe tube or pipe m with or by mea sof an air blast, no

W ien oil or liquid fuel is used, a spraying separate burner nozzlebeing' required; but' ELO nozzle or burner 0,-such as shown in Fig. 5,A

is insertedin one side orpassage of the feed I tube or pipe m, as shownin Fig. 1.

An air' supply pipe valve g, leads into the spout or pipe Z above thevalve n and affords means for keeping the orev feed passage into thebarrel I) .open

A n air blast pipe r is connected with the fuel supply or burner side orpassage of the tube or pipe m.

The flue f has an opening opposite the opening in the adjacent end ofthe barrel'b,

and this opening is provided with a remov.y

`box u which is connected by a pipe o with each twyer box. Twyeropenings or passagesw lead radially from each wind box t through theintervening shell and' lining into the interior o f the barrel andopposite c these openings or passages short pipes or openings which arenormally closed by caps or plugs m are provided in the outer Wall ofeach tvvyer box for the insertion of a rod to punch the twyers and keepthem open.

There* are preferably a number of these twyer boxes and groups oftwyers, in the present cas three, so disposed around the barrelthatetheA air blast through them into the charge wilhbev practicallycontinuous and that the barrelnav be stopped in one or more positions inwhich all of the twyers will be above the level of the charge, thuspermitting the melted charge to settle without agitation by the airblast.

The Wind box u is connected by a pipe y with a blower a and theadmission of air therefrom to the several twyer boxes is conl trolled byspring seated valves 2, the stems of which project outwardly from saldWind sbox parallel .with and equidistant from the axis of the barrel andare provided with rollers or heads 3 adapted by engagement with astationary cam ll to open said valves and hold them open while thetwycrs arc 5o passing belouT the charge, the barrel being rotated in thedirection indicated by the `arrow on Fig. 3.

The cam 4- is formed as shown in Figs. l,V

3 and 4, with outwardly beveled or inclined faces at the ends so as togradually open the valves 2 and permit them to'gradually close as thetwyers are passing into and leaving the charge. 1t is also madeadjustable so as to properly time the opening and closing of the valvesaccording to the varying level of the charge. This may be accomplishedas shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by hinging the beveled or inclined endsections 5 of the cam to the middle section 6 which is fixed, andconnecting them by right and left screwvp provided with a threaded rods7 and a correspondingly threaded sleeve nut 8, rotatably mounted andconfined agauinst endwise movement on the fixed middle section.

Midway between adjacent twyer boxes t one end of the barrel I) is formedadjacent and 3, Withone or more tap holes which are normally` closed byplugs 9, for drawing metal or matte from the lower part of the charge.It is also formed adjacent to but a littlein advance of one or more ofthe twy'er )boxes with one or more tap holes which are normally closedby plugs 10, for drawing off slag fromthe upper part of the charge whilethe twyers w are `above the charge and are shut off from the air supply.

ment of ores containing an excess or large percentage of sulfur, thecrude or raw ore fed from the hopper iinto the upper end of the rotatingbarrel a, gradually travels downward through said barrel, in whichit issubjected to the hot products of combustion escaping from the smeltingbarrel b through the flue and thence through the barrel a into thechimney or escape flue g. rl`he ore is thus heated andpartially roastedpreparatory to being smelted, in the barrel fumes and products ofeombustionare carried off through the upper open endv of the barrel ainto the chimney or flue g. heated and partially roasted ore is-discharged through the openings 7i at the lower end of the barrel ainto the hopper 7c, from which it is delivered through the spout or pipeZ into the feed tube or pipe fm, and thenceinto the rotating barrel b.During the entire smelting operation a molten bath is maintained in thebarrel b to receive the through the tube or pipe m, and air is constanily introduced into the barrel through the supply pipe r and oneside or passage of the tube or pipe m, and into the bath through thetwyers fw. The cam l is adjustedv from .time to time according to thelevel of the molten bath so that the valves 2 vwll be opened as thecorresponding twyers are aboutvto pass below the level of the bath andwill be closed after saidl twyers leave the bath. Rapid desulfurization'and smelting of the ore takes place throughout the entire operation ofsmclting and ore is continuously fed into thebarrel b until thefull'lcapacity ofthe barrel has been reached. ln the treat-ment of orescontaining a large nercentage of sulfur, but little fuel is requiredduring the smelting operation, as the combustion of the sulfur and theslagging of the bases generates sutlicient heat. "For ores containing asmaller pereentage'of sulfur, moreor less fuel is required, and this issup- Inthe operation of the apparatus as hereinbefore described,particularly inthe treati to its cylindrical wall as shown in Figs. l

b, and the moisture together with the sulfurl The i ore as it iscontinuously fed into the barrel plied to the burner o when oil is used,with a j blast orjet of air or steam through the pipes pacity of thesrnelting barrel L or the de.

sired volume, the supply of ore thereto is stopped, the twyers fw areall turned into positions above the level of the bath and the matte isallowed to settle. The heat is kept up by the operation of the burner orby the supply o'f fuel through the tube or pi )e m, so that the slagbecomes thoroughly liquid, thus permitting a clean separation of thematte therefrom. The slag is now drawn off through one of the tap holesprovided with the plugs l0 by turning the barrel info the properposition therefor. Under ordi-iv nary conditions the matte is allowed toaccumulate for twenty-four hours or more, so that but a single refiningoperation per day is necessary, but when the ore is rich in metal it maybe desirable to refine oftener. The quality of matte produced during thesinelting operation depends entirely upon the rate of supply of ore tothe smelting barrel, the slower the feed the richer the matte, but it isdesirable to regulate the feed so as lto produce a matte containingabout fitty per cent. of metal. During the refining operation air issupplied to the bath through the twyers w, but instead of rotating thebarrel continuously in one direction as in the lslnelting operation. itis simply oseillated, the twyers being kept above the level of the metalto prevent chilling the saine. If necessary to protect the lining' otthe smelting barrel, silicar is supplied to the molten charge throughthe hopper 71: and feed tube or pipe m. ln case the inetal as it isformed by the refining oj'ieration shows a tendency to chill, this mayhe prevented `by turningQpn4l the fuel supply. When the charge is incondition for drawing off the inetal produced by the refiningoperation?` one of the tap holes provided with the plugs 9 is turnedinto its lowerrnost position at the bottom of the barrel, therebycarrying all the twyers above the level of the charge, the plug isremoved, and the metal drawn oft'. The slag; from the refiningoperation, which is often rich in copper or metal, is retained in thesmelting barrel and^ torins the husie for starting the next smeltingoperation.

The method and means of refining,y hereinbefore described does `awaywith silieiousl linings and avoids the skimming operations which areessential with ordinary converters according to the usual practice` Thesaine apparatus and the same workmen or attendants serve both for thesmelting and for the refining operations.

ln certain cases the automat-ic spring scat ed valves 2 and the earn Llmay be dispensed with and the air supply connections from the wind box'n to the twyer boxes t left constantly open.

Various changes and irnodifieutions in details oi." construction andarrangement ot parts may he made without departing,r from the principleand scope of the invention. j

By the terni rotary as herein employed it is intended to includerotation alternately in opposite directions or a rockingr or oscillatoryincrement, as well as continuous rotation in a single direction.

.l claim:

1. ln ore sinelting and refining apparatus the combination ot' a rotarysinelting barrel .having` un opening' in one end, a rotary heatingbarrel, :i ihn` connecting the end opening" of the sinelting barrel withone end ot the heating barrel, an escape ilue with which ille other endol' the heating;r hui'i'el connnuni- Cates, means t'or feeding orc intothc end of' the heating' barrel adjacent to the escupe flue, and ineifnsfor coinluetingl the ore independently oi said flue from' the other endof the heatingr barrel into thc smelting barrel while said. barrels arein motion.

2. ln ore smeltinpr and refining' apparatus the combination of a rotarysineltingV barrel having' a central opening' in one end, a rotaryheating barrel, u flue connectingN the'end opening oi the smellingharrcl with one end of the heating;l harz-eh an escape flue with whichthe other end of the heatingr barrel communicates, an orc feed spoutpassing through the escape flue .info the adjacent end o't' the heatingbarrel7 and an oreconduitleading from the other end oi' theheaiingbarrel through the ('oi'ineciinlr flue into the end oj'nningr ot" thesulelting hurl-el.

l. ln ore sulcltinp; and refining' apparatus the combination of a rotaryiuneltingir barrel having an opening' iu one endt 1 rotary heatinp;burreh u flue ,-onnccline' the end opening of the smelling barrel withone end ot` the heating' barrel` :in escape flue with which the otherend of the heating barrel connnunie-alesN inoans t'or feeding ore intothe end ot' the heating' hari'el adjacent to the escape flue, alongitudinally divided feed pipe pussing through the connecting flueinto the end opening,r of the sniclting hai-rel` un ol'c conduit leading:troni the end of the heating barrel adjacent to the connecting flueinto one passage of said teed pipin and 'tuel and air supply pipeslconnected with the other passage o'f said toed pipe.

, ln ore snieliinpr and refining' apparatus the combination ot a rotarysmelling` barrel having an opening' in one cnd a rotary heating barrel,a flue connecting the end opening oi'ithe sineltinp; borrel with one endof the heating; barrel, u ehilnliey with which the other end oi theheating barrel conn'nunieates,

a feed `spout passing through s aid chimney'into'the adjacent end of theheating barrel, and provided with a regulating valve,

and an ore conduit leading from the other vend of the heating barrelthrough the con- A having an opening in one end, a rotary heatingbarrel, a llue connecting the end opening of the smelting barrel withone end of the heating barrel, a chimney with which the other end of theheating barrel communicates, means for feeding ore into the end of theheating barrel adjacent` to said chimney, an ore conduit leading fromthe other end of the heating barrel into the smelting barrel, and an airsupply pipe directed into said conduit toward the smelting barrel.

6.. in ore smelting and refining apparatus the combination oi a rotarybarrel having an end opening and twyers located at intervalsI around thebarrel, a connection adapted to supply air under pressure to saidtwycrs` and means :for supplying ore through said opening While thebarrel is in motion.

7. In ore smelting and refining apparatus the combination of a rotarybarrel having an end opening and `twyers located at intervals .aroundthe barrel, a connection adapted to supplyair under pressure to saidtwyers, and means for supplying ore and separate means for supplyingfuel through said opening while the barrel is in motion.

8. ln ore smelting and refining apparatus, the combination of a rotarybarrel having an end opening and twyers located at intervals around thebarrel, a connection adapted to Supply air under pressure to said twyersand means for supplying ore and separate means for supplylngfuel and airthrough said oieninfr above the chal-oe u'hile the b h barrel is inmotion. j

9. In ore smelting and refininpY apparatus the combination of a rotarybarrel provided at intervals around it with twyers, valve controlled airpressure supply connections leading to the several twyers, and adjustable means for opening and closing the valves in said connections atdifferent predetermined positions of the twyers in their circuit as thebarrel is turned.

10. In ore smelting and refining apparaway between adjacent tvvyers, andmeans of supplying air under pressure to the twyers While the barrel isin motion.

11. in ore smelting and refining apparatus the combination of a rotarybarrel having twye'rs arranged at intervals around it and tap holeslocated one adjacent to the radial position of one of the twyers andanother midway between adjacent twyers and adjacent to the peripheryv ofthe barrel#- and means of supplying air under pressure to the twyerswhile the barrel is in motion.

12. In ore smelting and refining apparatus the combination of a rotarycylindrical barrel provided at one end with a Wind box and at intervalsaround itsperiphery with longitudinal .twyer boxes each connected withthe interior of the barrel by radial passages andv with the wind box bya pipe, an air pressure supply pipe having a ycentral slip connectionwith the wind box. self-closing valves controlling the supply of airfrom the wind box to the several twyer boxes and a stationary camadapted to open said valves at predetermined points in the circuit ofthe tu'yers as the' barrel is rotated.

13. In ore smelting and refining apparatus the combination of a rotarybarrel havling a wind box at one end and at intervals around itsperiphery twyer boxes which communicate with thevinterior of the barrelthrough radial passages andare connected with the wind box by pipes, anair pressure supply pipe connected vwith the Wind box, valvescontrolling the supply of air from the wind box to the several twyerboxes, and a stationary cam having adjustable inclined ends and adaptedto open and close said valves at different predetermined points in thecircuit of the tvvyers When the barrel is rotated.

14. In ore smelting and refining apparatus the combination of a rotarybarrel having twyers located at intervals around it and adapted to beall broughtto rest above the level of the molten charge in the barrel.and a tap hole located between adjacent sets of' twyers in vposition `todraw oft'.the charge from the lower part of the barrel when all thetwj'crs are thus lrought to rest above the charge, and a eormeetionadapted to s-up-

